1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retention release auxiliary device for an optical connector including a plug to which optical fibers are coupled and a receptacle into which the plug is inserted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with expansion of information networks in recent years, optical fiber communication has become mainstream. Further, it is required to increase the number of optical lines and the density thereof.
A communication device is installed in each node of an optical communication system. A printed circuit board having a function of housing an optical line and controlling the same is mounted on a rack shelf of the communication device. An interface optical connector is mounted on the printed circuit board and optical fibers are detachably connected to the optical connector. Such optical connectors having various shapes are proposed or standardized (see Japanese unexamined patent publication Nos. 2005-17602 and 11-64682 and Japanese patent No. 3390697). For example, an LC type connector that can be decreased in size and increased in density is normally used in a communication carrier in North America.
Such an optical connector has a latch mechanism for retention. A plug to which optical fibers are connected is inserted into a receptacle and thereby the latch mechanism operates automatically, ensuring the coupling between the plug and the receptacle. When a lever provided in the plug is operated by fingers to release the latch mechanism, the plug can be detached from the receptacle.
Upon the detachment of the plug, in the case of an environment where a sufficient space is secured, it is easy to operate a small lever with fingers and release the latch mechanism. However, it is not easy in the case where an optical connector is mounted in a small space.
Specifically, usually, a plurality of the printed circuit boards described above are densely mounted on a shelf. In the case where, for example, a plurality of the printed circuit boards are made adjacent to one another and are installed in a slot, a receptacle of an optical connector is attached to a step-like front plate that is fastened to each of the printed circuit boards. In this case, it is necessary to house also an extension area of optical fibers connected to the optical connector in an area within the shelf. Accordingly, it necessarily follows that the mounting position of the optical connector is a position back from the shelf surface. Under this condition, it is difficult to put fingers in order to attach/detach the plug. In particular, it is hard to operate the lever with fingers to release the latch mechanism.
For this reason, upon the detachment of the plug, a tool is conventionally necessary to release the latch mechanism.